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Per an MUtigers.com release, Missouri's athletic department once again fared well in the classroom.
Mizzou posted four conference-best marks while ranking tied for second in average program APR among all 14 SEC schools. The average APR for Mizzou's 20 varsity sports was 987, trailing only Vanderbilt (992).
Mizzou's men's indoor (988) and outdoor track (988) programs and women's swimming and diving (1,000) all led the SEC while the Tigers' wrestling team (986) led the Mid-American Conference. Mizzou's softball program ranked second in the SEC with its 994 mark and Gary Pinkel's football squad ranked third among SEC schools at 976. Of Mizzou's 20 varsity sports, 12 ranked among the top five in their respective leagues as well.
This has been more or less par for the course for Mizzou in the APR era. There is one potential concern, however, as noted by The Trib's David Morrison.
All of MU's programs are above the APR multiyear penalty threshold of 930 for this year's data, which measures the 2010-14 school years.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 27, 2015
Men's basketball (941) came the closest.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 27, 2015
Men's basketball has an 851 from the 2013-14 school year on its record. That could damage it the next couple of years.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 27, 2015
MU men's basketball is looking at an average APR of 929.7 for 2011-12 through 2013-14. So it needs to have a good 2014-15.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 27, 2015
If it wants to avoid risking slipping into the NCAA's penalty structure for multiyear APR, that is.
— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) May 27, 2015
Instability within the basketball program had a different effect beyond simple on-the-court results, apparently. There probably isn't any major concern there, but a couple years of actual stability for Mizzou Basketball would go a long way.